As I've mentioned over the past week, I threw myself into a project for the nursery - it's the first time I've had the energy or the inspiration to come up with a new crafty project in quite some time.
Looking at cribs, play yards and nursery decor can be overwhelming so I decided to create some custom pieces for the new nursery that will be appropriate whether the baby is a boy or a girl. (Only one more week until we hopefully find out!)
Starting with a plain lamp that used to be in our living room but we recently replaced - here is the 'before' picture:
There are 6 panels in the shade so I decided to use an alternating design, starting with some cute monkey fabric that I had stashed away. First, I measured each panel and marked them with small tabs since each one had a slightly different measurement.
Then I created a form out of scrap cardboard so I could trace it on the fabric for accuracy. I had to make three different forms (and mark each cut piece) so that the panels lined up correctly.
Once I had the panels cut out, I set them aside and got to work on the panels that would not have the fabric on them.
Using a full bottle of bright yellow, soft, fabric plaint and a regular paintbrush, I painted the alternating panels as well as the top and bottom trim of the lampshade. 
After letting the paint dry completely, luckily I only needed one coat, I began working on the fabric panel parts. I spread a thin coat of Modge Podge on the back of the fabric panel and then placed it on the corresponding panel. 
The Modge Podge made the panels a little longer and wider so since the panels were measured very specifically, they had to be trimmed while wet which was a little messy. Since I knew I was adding a trim to the panels afterward, it would have been smart to cut the fabric slightly smaller than my original measurements. Once the panels were lined up, I took small amounts of Modge Podge on my fingertip and spread another thin layer on the front to secure it to the shade. Repeat this step for all three panels.
While the panels were still sticky, I used Tacky Glue to attach faux pearl trim to the edges of each fabric panel. This helped hide any rough edges and blend the panels in with the painted sides. Lastly, I used the Tacky Glue again to attach bright yellow pom-pom trim to the underside of the lamp shade so that only the pom-poms hung down from underneath. It helps to use a clothespin to hold the start of the trim while you attach the remainder, approximately 6 inches at a time until you reach the beginning.
Here is the final product, with the matching wall art that I created last weekend -
Creating your own nursery decor is easy - scope out your own items, tag sales or thrift stores for your starting piece and add your own flair from there. Hey, if Jessica Alba can do it, so can you!
from 
be a skilled knitter
